Jesus said in Mark 12:30, 31, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Yesterday’s article examined how we are to love God, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. While we are always ready to do this, Jesus is also calling on us to love others, to serve and care for them as we would care for our own needs:

– “As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). How many times on our lives have we passed on the opportunity to help others? I’m not talking about those times we physically or financially cannot help, but those times when we can help and chose not to get involved. How would we feel if the situation was reversed? 

– “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matthew 7:12). We recognize this as the “Golden Rule” in the Scriptures. Why is it “golden”? Because it makes us think seriously about the condition others are in and how we would and to be treated. If I were hungry, would I want others to help feed me? If I were cold, would I appreciate it if someone handed me a warm blanket? If I struggled with emotional heartache, could I use a comforting arm around me?

 – “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). This is the conclusion Jesus gave to the parable of the Good Samaritan. When a man was in great distress, one that would have been a societal enemy stopped to help him. Even when those that would be expected to stop and offer aid did not, it was the one that had compassion and mercy that Jesus tells us to emulate.

Do you love others this much? 

Once we understand what it truly means to love God, we will be able to love others as God loves them.

By: Justin Odom